Inquest into death of farmer being used to question ‘validity' of his marriage the day before he died, coroner's courts hears
Joe Grogan (75) of Screggan, Tullamore, Co Offaly died at home on April 15, 2023.
Mr Grogan was a well-known figure in the Irish farming community as his large landholding had hosted the National Ploughing Championships between 2016 and 2018.
The National Ploughing Association announced last December that this year's event will be hosted by his wife, Lisa Flaherty-Grogan on the same farmland on September 16-18.
Angry exchanges between legal representatives of various members of the deceased's family dominated the opening of an inquest into Mr Grogan's death at Offaly Coroner's Court in Tullamore on Friday.
Counsel for Ms Flaherty-Grogan, Stephen Byrne BL, expressed concern that the proceedings were being used to question the validity of his client's marriage to the deceased on April 14, 2023 – the day before his death.
Mr Byrne's comments followed a remark by Damien Tansey SC, counsel for three first cousins of Mr Grogan – Alo, Margaret and Seán Grogan – about the couple's 'would-be marriage.'
'To the world my client is legitimately and validly married,' Mr Byrne replied.
He asked the coroner, Raymond Mahon, to rule on the relevancy of the marriage to the inquest.
Mr Tansey retorted that Mr Byrne's observation was 'preposterous' and claimed the marriage was relevant.
However, the coroner said Mr Tansey's comment about a 'would-be marriage' was 'an inappropriate term to use' and he ruled that the marriage was not relevant in relation to the cause of Mr Grogan's death.
A large number of various relatives of Mr Grogan attended the inquest at Tullamore Courthouse including Ms Flaherty-Grogan who cried silently through large parts of the proceedings.
At the opening of the hearing, Mr Tansey sought an adjournment of the inquest on the basis that the doctor who attended Mr Grogan's home two hours after his death, Ben Kato, was not available to give evidence.
The barrister said it was absolutely essential to be able to question Dr Kato given 'the level of uncertainty' over Mr Grogan's death.
Mr Tansey explained that in his long legal career he had never come across a case before where a pathologist's report had been unable to come to a conclusion about the cause of death.
He told the inquest that Mr Grogan's body had been 'taken away and embalmed' before a notification of the death form was completed.
Mr Tansey said the process was only stopped after the intervention of gardaí 'but not before irreparable damage was done.'
Mr Byrne interjected to vehemently reject any attempt to impugn the reputation of or make insinuations about Ms Flaherty-Grogan or anyone at the time of Mr Grogan's death.
He accused Mr Tansey of using 'the cloak of privilege' to make claims about Ms Flaherty-Grogan but stressed he would interject any time to protect his client when her good name and reputation was being targeted.
The coroner observed that the exchanges between the two legal representatives was like 'a sparring match between two opponents jostling each other around the pitch.'
However, Mr Mahon agreed to adjourn the case to arrange for Dr Kato to be called to give evidence after Peter Jones, a solicitor for an aunt of the deceased, Teresa Mooney, also stated he would wish to question the witness.
Mr Tansey also asked the coroner to allow another cousin of the farmer, Padraig Grogan, to give evidence.
Counsel said Padraig Grogan had visited the deceased on numerous occasions since Joe Grogan had been diagnosed with cancer in December 2022 and had 'got access on eight occasions.'
Mr Tansey said the deceased's cousin would have 'an awful lot of evidence that would be helpful.'
The coroner noted that he had already received a number of depositions from Mr Grogan but had decided that one witness from the family, Seán Grogan, would be enough for the inquest.
While he did not see the relevance of Padraig Grogan's evidence, Mr Mahon told Mr Tansey that he could submit another deposition from him before a rescheduled hearing.
Mr Tansey said there was another second cousin of the deceased called Enta who had visited Mr Grogan practically every day including the day of his 'would-be marriage.'
Apologising to witnesses who had attended the hearing, the coroner adjourned the case for a date to be rearranged.
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